The League Of Heroes
by Blue Bongo
Summary: When the largest colony of Deoxys in the galaxy is attacked by a threat from space, a lone escapee makes his way to Earth with the intention of recruiting the planet's six greatest superheroes to fight the oncoming threat, before it is too late...
1. Prologue: The Deoxys Rebellion

Prologue. The Deoxys Rebellion.

* * *

The Planet Syodia. Home of the largest Deoxys population in the entire galaxy, a place unknown to humanity. Despite the occasional visits of the Pokémon to Earth, despite the inclusion in the Pokédex, this rare Pokémon is still an unknown quantity in the scheme of things. However, being the sentient beings of the planet Syodia, these creatures formed a society. A hierarchy of living structure, able to coexist in a way suitable to all. A society almost a twisted mirror to that of humanity, the two species being more similar than anyone may ever realise...

* * *

Ringing out around the arena, the eerie whistling sound that accounted for a Deoxys cheer could be heard across the immediate area. The thousands of beings all joined together, their worked up frenzy echoing out within the stands of their coliseum, the attention focused on the two fighters far below them. Two Deoxys dueling each other for supremacy, the twin champions facing each other in combat. Somewhere within the arena, the amplified sound of the announcers 'voice' managed to pierce through the cheers, giving a detailed outline of what was happening. Just for those too high up to get a clear view of the action, those unlucky several making more than enough noise to make up for it.

"Champion Darin deals out a furious slash attack to his opponent..." the announcer shouted, struggling to be heard. The Deoxys, Darin, in question slashing out with his arms towards the opponent. Only for the enemy to switch out into the Defense Forme, taking the attacks with ease. Having thrown all the weight into the attack, Darin slumped forward, momentarily drained by his efforts.

"...Calyxs takes it to the chest. Good thing he transformed into the defensive state, otherwise that might really have hurt. But now Darin's defenses are down, Calxys has transformed into his attacking state."

Even as the announcer called it, the transformation had already ripped through Darin's opponent. Calxys, shrieking out in his imminent victory, whipped up his tendril-like arms and sent them slashing away across Darin's face. Purple blood immediately erupting out from the wound as his opponent collapsed straight to the ground in pain.

"Check that one out!" the announcer screamed, the frenzied crowd going ecstatic all around him at the sight of the favourite down and wounded. "Calxys deals a devastating slash, amplified by the considerable power of his mind and Darin is down. The Royal Champion is down and out. If he avoids serious maiming, then I think he'll be lucky."

"That's some serious power from Calyxs right there," another Deoxys next to him announced. "Whatever that one did while out exploring other worlds, it's really toughened him up."

"My apparent co-commentator next to me," the announcer remarked. "Doing a good job, if a little unexpected. When Calyxs arrived back on Syodia and announced that he wanted to challenge Darin in the arena, he was laughed at. Now, he's the one smiling. Few expected this, and there's going to be changes. Mark my words, in the next few days, we're going to be seeing drastic changes at the top. As the new Royal Champion, Calyxs is going to be someone we will see a lot more of in the immediate future..."

* * *

"Lord Absalon..." Darin began to say, dropping to his knees. The regret easily visible upon his damaged features, it wasn't really getting through to the Deoxys in front of him. "My apologies for the failure. I willingly accept that Calyxs was the better fighter and such await your judgement as to my fate."

"Not really something you can argue with," the sneering voice from the background remarked, Darin knowing without looking behind him that Calyxs had arrived in the chamber. Part of him could imagine the smug smirk upon the victors face, could still feel the desperate agony of the slash that had left him blinded in one eye. Despite the illusion he was putting up to hide it, his psychic powers holding that facade, it wasn't fooling anyone. Not Absalon, not Calyxs, not himself. "I see that you're hiding your wounds. The shame on you."

"Calyxs," Darin replied, warily. "Congratulations on your victory. It was well deserved."

"I know it was," the new Royal Champion smirked. "Saying it doesn't make it any more or less so."

"Welcome to the throne room, my new Champion," Absalon said, ignoring the show of arrogance. "I'm almost certain that this is your first time here, correct? At least, while I have occupied the throne."

"Physically," Calyxs replied, his cryptic answer drawing surprised looks from both Absalon and Darin. Neither of them comprehending what it was that he had meant by his answer, the Royal Champion kept the same smirk on his face throughout.

"Excuse me?"

"This is the first time I've been here physically," he replied. "However, in my mind I've been here. Walked through, sat on the throne. The whole planet at my feet. Dreams are great. What makes them even better is having the capability to put them into reality."

Listening to him speak, Darin found himself slipping away into an almost attacking position. Whatever Calyxs was talking about, it wasn't setting him away into a calm state of mind. There was something in his voice, something that couldn't quite be explained away.

"See, when I was exploring the universe," Calyxs continued, seemingly unaware of their presence. He almost seemed to be talking aloud to himself, the Deoxys not really interested in whether they could hear him or not. "I found something. A higher power, something that spoke to me on so many levels..."

"Calyxs!" Absalon said, a wary note in his voice. "What are you talking about? What are you trying to...?"

"In those moments, I saw the face of omniscience," Calyxs replied, his voice almost fanatic with emotion. "And I liked it. This... Master granted me power. Power I needed, power that I sought. On the condition that I use it to do the bidding of my Master."

I don't like where this is going, Darin thought, ruefully. Nothing about this sits right with me at all.

"My Master wants the universe," Calyxs said. "Most planets are dead hunks of waste, floating through space with no consequence. The real trophies are planets, like this one that contain sentient life. Yet, a distraction was needed. He wants this planet and everyone on it. Should his Warship approach out of the blue, panic would arise. Your people are capable of surviving in dead space, some would inevitably escape. My Master does not want that..."

"Your people?" Darin snapped. "You no longer consider yourself one of us?"

"In serving omniscience," Calyxs replied, coldly. "No one species is important than another. They all tremble with insignificance. Our bout in the arena, Darin. That was the distraction. With all the focus on the trivial matters of a new Royal Champion, nobody was looking at the sky. Even as we speak..."

Letting his words hang, explosions rang out from the distance, Absalon sitting bolt upright on his throne.

"You have betrayed us all," he snarled, floating up from where he sat. "How dare you! This is not going to..."

Ignoring him, Calyxs brought his arms up, unleashing a Psycho Boost away his former leader's chest. For a second, time seemed to stand still for Darin, as he watched the last remaining member of the Deoxys royal family hurtle back, crashing over the throne and smashing into the ground.

"Dreams," Calyxs murmured, walking towards the vacated stone structure in the middle of the throne room. "As the new Lord of the Deoxys population, I shall marshal every citizen here for the Master's army."

"It's not going to stand," Darin warned, taking a step back. "They won't go along with it!"

"None of them will be able to resist the lure," Calyxs replied, grinning at the opponent that he had conquered in the arena with malice. "When they see the true face of my Master, they will love him as I do. Once this chunk of rock has seen the light, we will travel to that last great place of sentient life."

"What?"

"What is Syodia?" Calyxs asked, sarcastically. "I love this planet. So much so that I was willing to agree to this. The Master would have taken us over either way. At least this way, we don't get vaporised."

"You sold our your own people!" Darin snarled, angrily stepping forward. "You're not going to get away with this."

"With no leader," Calyxs replied, looking briefly to the fallen form of Absalon. "This planet will lack direction. No way to resist them, thanks to my role in all of this."

"You're assuming that I don't stop you," Darin said. "What makes you think that...?"

"What makes you think that you can stop me this time?" Calyxs demanded. "I already defeated you in the arena. Now..."

Another series of explosions rang out, their pure power causing the palace to shake under the impact.

"... My Master has arrived," the traitor sneered. "There's a place for you, Darin. My left hand if you'll accept him as I have. You really were good in the arena, on another day you might have beaten me. Actually, it's almost certain that you would have done. That power... It's intoxicating. Join me."

"Yeah..." Darin replied, folding his arms in disgust. "No way that's going to happen. I'd rather die."

"Then you will," Calyxs smiled, already charging up another Psycho Boost. "Farewell, Darin. It's been nice knowing you. It really has."

Spotting the glint in his enemies eyes, Darin shot up off the ground into the air. Growling at the attempt to escape, Calyxs' aim adjusted at the last moment, the powerful blast of mental energy missing him completely. As it smashed through the roof, punching a hole through the stone, Darin flew away through it. Leaving Calyxs glaring up at his exit, a thunderous look on his face at the escape. Before it was replaced with acceptance.

"Run Darin run," he muttered. "There's nowhere for you to go. At least, there won't be soon."

* * *

Frantically soaring through the air towards the outer atmosphere of Syodia, Darin allowed himself a look back to the planet that he had called home. The buildings on the ground in flame, he allowed his field of vision to pan up and see the source of the chaos. The huge ship high above the ground not only filling his vision, but also his entire being with dread. He knew it to resemble an Earth based Pokémon, one named Giratina. The hovering mechanical beast raining down hell onto Syodia, he quickly turned away and began to focus only on getting out. He had no idea if anyone else would make it, but right now, despite it going against every inch of his being he wanted out of the vicinity. If what Calyxs had said was true, then he knew where they were going to be next. Where Calyxs had announced that they were going to be, which meant that it was possibly the best way to stop them. If Calyxs drew power from the ship or whatever piloted it, then he had to bring them all down somehow.

He had to get to Earth. There was work to be done.

* * *

**Author's Notes.**

**Okay, just to clarify something. I probably won't ever get around to finishing The New Adventures Of Gligirl, but this is almost an indirect sequel to that.**

**So, hope that you enjoyed this. I'll be working on it for the immediate future.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	2. The Protector Of Johto

Chapter One. The Protector Of Johto.

* * *

Time seemed to be almost irrelevant. In the depths of space, Darin couldn't tell when one solar cycle began and another ended. Not that it mattered. Syodia was a large planet, it would take time for the being that Calyxs served to indoctrinate everyone to his will. Even if it was only a matter of hours and days rather than weeks for him to do that, it was still better than nothing. That small amount of time might just have to be enough for him to work out some way to stop them. If the design of the ship was anything to go by, then it could well have originated from Earth. And maybe, just maybe, there was something or someone there. Something that could help him...

Letting the thoughts hang in his head, he glanced up and saw the blue and green planet far in the distance. At his current speed, he could be there in the not too distant future.

Sensing movement far out to his right, he involuntarily jerked his head up to see several large shapes far in the distance. Already burning up as they entered the atmosphere, Darin didn't let up despite his curiosity. It was the first time that he'd seen a meteor shower at close range, the sight both ethereal and beautiful at the same moment.

"Neat," he remarked to himself, allowing a small smile to creep across his face despite the moment. "Although, I highly doubt that the humans on the ground feel that way."

Chuckling slightly at his own joke, he tried to force himself on even faster.

* * *

"Goldenrod Gazette. What better job is there?"

Laughing at the comment, Jason Crowe settled back in his chair and looked across to the gym leader with a smile. Subconsciously reaching up to run his fingers through the curly black hair, he found himself satisfied before going down to adjust his glasses.

"That's really something that you'll need to tell me, Whitney," he replied. "I'm just a mild mannered journalist. You're a gym leader. One of the most recognised trainers in Johto. I think we both know who has the more exciting life."

"All a matter of opinion, of course," she said, returning the smile. "What appears on the surface to be a glamourous job is actually rather more humdrum. There's the battles which is obviously the part people see..."

"True. It's more than that though, right?"

"Yeah, there's the training. The maintaining of the gym, the obligatory guest spot on Goldenrod Radio, the acts in the community... It's not an easy job."

"I'm not one of those who think that it is an easy job," Crowe replied, still grinning. "As sports reporter for the paper, I've seen all that you do around the city. Some gym leaders wouldn't bother."

"That's not fair," she protested. "Gym leaders are very responsible people. Well, they are in Johto anyway. Forget the other regions for the moment, some of those guys can..."

Before Whitney could finish, she was interrupted by the ear-splitting wail of the civil defense siren, the two figures in the office above the gym both getting to their feet in surprise.

"What the...?" Crowe asked, moving towards the window. "What's going on?"

Looking outside to the general world, the journalist was quickly joined by the woman that he was interviewing. Whitney quickly letting out a shocked gasp at the sight of the several huge space rocks visible in the sky.

"No way!" she yelled. "That's impossible."

"A meteor shower?" Crowe demanded. "Shouldn't someone have forewarned this? This is... Excuse me, I need to go call my editor."

Even as he made a break for the door, Whitney only gave him a passing glance before turning her attention back to the sudden and surprising appearance of the objects in the sky.

"This is bad," she muttered, wondering if there was anything she could do. If the meteorites were going to come crashing down onto Goldenrod City, then the damage would be incalculable. Of course, there was always...

"He had better come," she said, leaning against the sill of the window to get a better look at the onrushing danger. "We need him more than ever now."

* * *

Out in the streets of Goldenrod City, huge crowds of stunned people were starting to file towards the exits of the settlement. Hoping to escape before the deadly pieces of space rock made their impact, smashing their homes to pieces and wiping out anyone careless enough to be in the vicinity. All until a shout rang out, compounded by a cheer as the caller looked to the sky.

"He's here!" someone in the crowd yelled, a streak of green shooting through the sky. "We're all saved!"

More heads went up to see the figure above them. The saviour of Johto, the figure who had done so much to ensure that the people had as safe a life as possible. The figure know as DragonMaster. Few people had met him, even fewer knew much more about him other than the basics. Clad in a green costume, he was probably well over six feet tall with piercing blue eyes and gelled black hair. In addition to the basic green costume, he wore a golden ring logo in similar style to the one on a Rayquaza on his chest, while his belt and boots were also gold. His belt had the same ring design across the buckle. Across his back, he wore a magnificent cape, the back green with another Rayquaza ring, while the interior was gold instead.

Soaring through the air, high above the watching crowds in Goldenrod City, he could hear more cheers ring out for him.

* * *

Thrusting his body through the air, DragonMaster found himself closing in on the meteorites. Much too high for anyone normal to hear the cheers, his hearing still caught the faintest trace of the sounds of adoration. Pushing them away from his mind, he continued on towards the onrushing space rocks.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered, forcing himself on. Drawing a deep breath, he closed in on the one closest to him...

... And smashed his way through it, head first. Darkness momentarily flashed through his vision until he ploughed out of the other side, completely unharmed. Far away below him, he could hear the cheers ring out at his actions, the damaged pieces of the meteorite behind him began to fall away harmlessly.

He was going for the bigger pieces of space rock first. Had already made that decision before taking flight. Scanning his eyes across the rest of the objects, he easily picked up the next one and tore towards it, bringing his fist up. Not hesitating, he threw a tremendous punch against the rock, the force of his blow hurling the meteorite back the way it had come. DragonMaster could have sworn that he saw the flames flash through the air as it shot back like a cannonball, taking three more out with it. Only allowing himself momentarily relief, he quickly shot back into the action to plough through another one. His suit easily taking the wear and tear of the effort needed to smash his way through the solid chunk of rock, he quickly watched its remains start the slow descent to the Earth, the chunks of stone too small to cause much damage below. Few remained, the flying being spun to take another one head on. Powering towards it, he threw out a fist and managed to easily punch a hole. Grabbing hold of part of the interior, he spun away and hurled it back towards space, the makeshift projectile knocking another back with it. Glancing around, DragonMaster caught the sight of the last one falling away towards the Earth, possibly too close for him to risk flying after. Gravity had a hold of it, combined with the greater weight of the meteorite meant that by the time he got close to it...

Not hesitating, his eyes began to glow with the colour of gold. Taking aim, the furiously powerful beam of energy shot out, punching a hole straight through the middle of the last meteorite. Spraying it around, the meteorite was quickly decimated from sight, the only traces of its existence being fragments of dust falling to the ground.

"Perfect score," he muttered, dusting his hands together. "DragonMaster One. Meteorites Zero."

* * *

Hovering down into view of the crowds, he shot them a wave and a smile. Before being assaulted by a flashing wave of cameras, all desperate to capture his image. Grinning to bear it for a few moments before turning to rocket away across the horizon.

He was almost sure that nobody had seen him enter the alley in the middle of Goldenrod City, not too far away from the Radio Tower. Yet, as he emerged out in his day to day guise of Jason Crowe, he felt something watching him.

"_Most impressive_," a silent voice remarked, the sound from above him. Somehow, he could hear the voice, but not in the traditional sense. More like it was in his head. "_I congratulate you for your efforts_."

"Oh man," Crowe muttered, glancing up to the sky. Almost doing a double take at the sight of the Deoxys perched on the balcony of the building above him, he quickly regained his composure. "Check you out."

"_You're not human_," the Pokémon remarked, slightly impressed. "_Are you_?"

"And you are a talking Deoxys," Crowe replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess that we're both a little unusual. Don't tell anyone."

"_I don't intend to_," the Deoxys answered, offering him a strange look that could have been a smile. "_In fact, I was rather mulling over things as I approached the atmosphere of the Earth. When a meteorite nearly hit me. Your doing, I take it_?"

"Sorry about that. Those things came out of nowhere, I had to take some rapid response actions."

"_Now, you're misunderstanding me. I'm impressed. In fact, I have a little something that you might be able to help with. Problems, if you will_."

"Don't know what it is that you think you might be able to get from me," Crowe said, shrugging. "I mean..."

"_Not just you_," the Deoxys replied, hovering down towards him. "_Fly with me_."

"What?"

"_You heard_."

* * *

Barely ten minutes later, the two figures found themselves hovering high above the surface of the planet, far and away beyond the point where anyone could hear them.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" DragonMaster asked, looking at the Deoxys with his arms folded. "The weather?"

"_Your attempts at humour are not appreciated in this time_," the Deoxys replied, scathingly. "_My name is Darin and I have a problem_."

"Everyone has problems."

"_Mine threatens the existence of every sentient species in the galaxy_."

"Admittedly, not all of them are on that scale," DragonMaster conceded. "So, Darin. What do you need from me."

"_I came to Earth looking for answers. A way to stop this blight. Now that I see what you do here, I have an idea how this can be done. Are there more like you on this planet? Beings that will stand up and fight for what is right when the odds are heavily against them_."

"Not exactly like me, now," DragonMaster conceded. "However, there are others. Protectors. Heroes."

"_Hmmmm..._" Darin said, DragonMaster almost able to feel the mental vibrations of his musing. "_Where are they? I must find them right now_."

"Well, I know the locations of a few of them," DragonMaster replied. "But, we'll go together. No offense, but if you float down and start talking to them..."

"_I see your point_," Darin remarked. "_I can form the illusion within a mind that I am a human if it is required, but I'd rather not keep any secrets. Not at the moment anyway_."

"Fair enough," DragonMaster said. "We all have secrets."

"_Where are we going first?_" the Deoxys asked, curiously. "_Not that I'm likely to know, but..._"

"First, we go to a City the next region over," DragonMaster said. "To find someone that will relish the chance of getting involved."

"_Who is he?"_

"Not he," DragonMaster replied. "Her. Air Archer. That's who we need to find."

* * *

**Author's Notes.**

**I give no prizes for guessing which superhero DragonMaster is based on. Heh.**

**On that, it's a bit similar to the opening of the Superman Returns video game. What are the odds?**

**Okay, so that's the second part. Next one will take place in Kanto and possibly Hoenn.**

**Hope that you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.**


	3. The Archer

Chapter Two. The Archer.

* * *

"_So, who is this Air Archer?_"

The question was the first thing that Darin had said since the two of them had left the airspace high above Goldenrod City. The Deoxys instead choosing to look at the landscape below him, his white eyes marvelling across every tree, river, field and city with disbelief. Several times, he had looked like there were things he wished to say about the sights below him, but something held him back.

"Air Archer..." DragonMaster replied, glancing down to the sights of Tohjo Falls below them. "Well, I'd rather not give out too much information about her beforehand. I don't want to colour your view of her."

"_Do you trust her? Do you think that she would become a valuable ally when we ask her to join our crusade?_"

"Without a shadow of doubt," DragonMaster said, seeing Darin's reaction as he followed the gaze down towards the waterfall far below the two of them. "You ever been to Earth before?"

"_Never_," Darin replied. "_I've always wanted to, but whenever my people have been here, it hasn't ended well_."

"Humans can be strange," DragonMaster replied. "I've lived among them for a while now, I still don't completely get them."

"_Interesting that you look so human_," Darin said. "_Are you like that naturally, or...?_"

"I don't know what I am," DragonMaster admitted. "I was found in a field nearly thirty years ago. By a man named Alvin Crowe. There's a City up in the mountains named Blackthorn, he was the leader of a clan worshipping dragon type Pokémon."

"_I see_."

"He later explained to me that he had taken me before the clan in my youthful state and recounted some prophecy where the Dragon Lord Rayquaza would deliver a youth with powers rivalling His own to the world to protect it from itself. After much deliberating, Alvin Crowe made the choice to raise me as his son. Taught me everything I knew, how to harness my abilities and how to interact in a normal society. Most of all to keep my secret from everyone."

"_You are revealing it to me_," Darin pointed out. "_What makes me so different to anyone else that you have interacted with?_"

"Well, there's the Deoxys thing," DragonMaster pointed out. "So, if you started to reveal it, most people probably wouldn't believe you. They'd probably try and catch you instead."

"_Does this Air Archer know about you?_" Darin wondered. "_Your past?_"

"Some of it. Not much, I prefer to keep it secret," DragonMaster conceded, glancing down to the ground again. "We're almost in Saffron City."

"_Excellent_," Darin replied, looking to the large buildings below him. "_This architecture is incredible, beyond anything I had imagined_."

"Somewhere in this City, we will find Air Archer," DragonMaster commented, glancing around the horizon below him. "Somewhere..."

His voice tailed off as the sounds of sirens rose up from below them, several police patrol cars screaming across the busy roads through the traffic.

"Now that's interesting," he remarked. "It could also lead us to our girl."

Looking down to the accelerating cars, Darin's body began to glow with a bright blue outline of energy. Seconds later, he looked back up at his companion with what could have been a smile.

"_The Silph building_," he replied. "_If that means anything to you. There's a hostage situation in the boardroom by a group called... I think it's Team Rocket. You heard of them?_"

"They're a group of criminals," DragonMaster said, folding his arms. "Not nice people. However..."

Suddenly hesitating, he looked over to Darin with instant interest. "But, how did you know that?"

"_How am I communicating with you now?_" the Deoxys replied, raising the area where an eyebrow would be on a human. "_My people are powerful telepaths. The act of reading a thought from this distance was taxing, but not something impossible for me to do_."

"Alright then," DragonMaster replied, almost challenging him. "How come you asked me about my origins. Couldn't you have just read my mind?"

"_Interesting thought actually_," Darin conceded. "_Don't think I haven't tried. It's not happening. Almost like there's nothing there_."

"Let me be the first to assure you that I do indeed think," DragonMaster replied, slightly biting in his response. "Otherwise..."

"_Maybe it's because of what you are_," Darin said, trying to backtrack and amend the discomfort caused by his comment. "_So... This Silph place. Let us go there_."

* * *

Looking across to the Silph building across from her position, the hooded figure began to drop a hand to her waist. Her costume was primarily a white and brown colour, made of a material that could have been thick leather. Across her waist, there was a brown belt with a holster containing a handheld crossbow while she also wore a pair of brown boots with a low heel. At her back, there was a metal longbow designed like a thin Pidgeot, the wings curved out, while it had a sight across the middle point of it where the head would normally be on a Pidgeot. As well as that, there was a hood that currently wasn't up. Down at her lower back, there was a quiver full of various Pidgeot headed arrows. Across her shoulders, her costume took upon a feathered design down the arms, while she also wore a pair of leather gloves. With no hood up her face could be seen, her purple hair tied up in a ponytail as she glanced across to the Silph building with interest.

"Time to rock and roll," she muttered, bringing her hood up across her face. Revealing it to be shaped like a Pidgeot head in design, mainly in the headdress across the top and back part of the hood. Reaching down into her pocket, she brought up a metal face mask with eye holes and a beak in the middle to fit across her nose, before slipping it across her bare face. Adjusting it into place where it would stick, she brought the crossbow in her thigh up and aimed at the roof of the Silph building. Confident with her aim, she quickly replaced her handheld crossbow with a gas-operated grappling gun. Having checked that the hook was loaded in correctly, she fired across to the roof, watching her projectile soar into the air where it caught against the roof. Giving the steel cable a tug to check it was caught in place, the figure quickly set about the next part of her task. Having set up a zip-line between the two buildings, she gave it one final check before jumping up onto the top of the cable. Within moments, she was sprinting across the taught steel line, ready for getting to the Silph building.

* * *

Finishing her highwire act, she made the sprint across the rooftop towards the ventilation system. Pulling it open, Air Archer hurled herself inside to completely vanish into the darkness. In her hurry, she failed to notice the two figures hovering high above her, both impressed at the sight.

"_That is impressive_," Darin commented, folding his arms. "_Very impressive. For a human, that is phenomenal dexterity_."

"She does that," DragonMaster said. "In a way, I admire her. Doing that wouldn't worry me, the fall wouldn't kill me even if I didn't take flight before. But for someone who doesn't have those abilities that I do... It says a lot about them."

"_If she's attempting to defuse the hostage situation, should we help out_?" Darin wondered. "_Or_..."

"Nah, she wouldn't appreciate it," DragonMaster replied. "Sort of an unwritten super hero thing. We don't poach on the good deeds of others unless they either ask for it or desperately need it."

"_Aha, I see_."

* * *

"Come on, son," the President of Silph said, looking at the Rocket member who appeared to be in charge of what was going down in the boardroom. Several members of the board were crouched next to the windows, their hands taped behind their backs while makeshift gags were rammed into their mouths. The president had been left untouched, but several Rockets were wandering through the room to ensure that he didn't try anything. "Is this really necessary? We all know what you Rockets are capable of. This show of force isn't going to get you anywhere. I'm pretty sure that you've already looted the vaults so why not just..."

"You're not getting off lightly," the Rocket leader replied. Somewhere, the President had heard him referred to as Blaze, something that had struck him at the time as being a strange name. "Unless the police back off, you're not going anywhere. If they don't back off, it's going to be raining board members."

"Hallelujah," another Rocket quipped, smirking at his own joke before Blaze gave him a stern look to silence him.

"I'm curious actually," the President remarked. "Any of the grunts have names or just numbers?"

Glancing up, the second grunt closest to Blaze looked like he wanted to say something to the President in anger.

"Rocket Two, keep your calm," the Rocket leader ordered. "You wanting to hit him isn't helping. Our hostages are more valued when they don't have bruises on."

"Really?" the President asked, raising an eyebrow above his glasses. "I thought that was just a myth."

"No, it's true," Rocket Three offered. "Anyway, shut up! We don't..."

"Rocket Three, I am the one who tells the hostages when to be quiet," Blaze said, quiet anger in his voice. "Not you. The rest of you..."

Interrupting him, everyone present heard the sound of something clattering down the floor in the hallway outside the boardroom. Two of the grunts jumping up in shock, they were quickly given dirty looks by the rest of the Rockets.

"Just for that," Blaze said, rolling his eyes. "You two can go and check it out. See what caused it."

"Like that example of how to manage people with ebulient sadistic glee," the President remarked. "Have you ever considered a position in middle management?"

"Funnily enough, no," Blaze replied, giving him a dirty look. Before moving his vision up on over to where the two Rocket grunts were moving on out of the room. Rocket Five having left the door open behind him, much to the irritation of the Rocket leader.

* * *

"You ever see horror movies?" Rocket Four asked, looking at his companion. "Where there's a group of teenagers in a building, or a cabin or something and they hear a noise outside? One or two of them go out to check on it and end up brutally murdered."

"Nah, I don't watch movies," Rocket Five said, shrugging. "But, how often does life imitate that?"

Ahead of them, the two could see a fallen vent cover laid on the ground, the screws facing up to the air.

"Maybe it just fell out," Rocket Four muttered, taking a step back. "Laws of physics and..."

Turning to leave, he walked straight into a fist. The surprise blow from Air Archer instantly sending him to the floor, Rocket Five was already turning to face the attacker as his companion hit the ground. Before he could react, Air Archer's handheld crossbow came up and the arrow flashed into his shoulder. Piercing his skin, Rocket Five instantly felt the stinging raze of electricity flood through his system, rendering him the same way as his team mate.

"At ease, boys," Air Archer remarked, holstering her crossbow. "You've been working hard and I think you both deserve a break."

Letting the slight grin flicker across her face, she glanced towards the open door and began to reach up for the longbow up across her back.

* * *

"What's taking them so long?" Rocket Two wondered, looking around towards the door the two Rockets had departed through moments earlier. A bead of sweat trickling down his face, he took a step back to try and get a better look through the open space, the thwock of an arrow rang out. Streaking through the air, the Pidgeot headed arrow, the arrowhead embedded within the beak, crashed into the table filling the space in the middle of the room. Everyone present moving their gaze towards it in surprise, the Pidgeot design immediately exploded into a shower of light and sound. With the Rockets all stunned by the surprise attack, Air Archer threw herself through the door, unconsciously slamming it shut behind her. Hurling herself across the table, she slid over the polished wooden surface and kicked Rocket Three in the stomach, her blow sending him smashing against the window. Rolling over onto her stomach, she brought the handheld crossbow up and fired another shock-inducing arrow out, this one hitting Rocket Two in the thigh. As he dropped to the ground, his muscles spasming from the electricity, Blaze turned tail and began to run towards the doors. Only for them to slam open, revealing DragonMaster and Darin on the other side, already walking in. Yelping in shock and fear, the makeshift Rocket leader fumbled out a gun from somewhere on his person and fired several frantic times at the two of them. DragonMaster easily took the shots without flinching, before stepping back to allow Darin to charge forward. Within moments, the Deoxys had unleashed a Psycho Boost into the man, hurling him back the way he had come. As he slid to the ground at Air Archer's feet, the masked woman looked up at the new arrivals.

"Huh," she remarked. "Aliens in the house. Surprised to see you down here. Thought this might be a little too menial for you."

"_What's that supposed to mean?_" Darin wondered, with interest. "_I don't quite get it_."

"Long story, sweetie," Air Archer said, replacing her handheld crossbow in the thigh holster. "I'm just surprised to see you again. Last time we met... Words were said."

"_Words were said?_" Darin asked. "_Now I'm confused. Really confused_."

"We had a disagreement," DragonMaster replied. "She accused me of not caring enough about the duty that I perform."

"That's not at all what I accused you of," Air Archer said, picking up her mechanised longbow to replace on her back. "What I said was that you're happy to appear when the massive dangers appear and the like or when it hits the places that you care about. The point I made was that with your abilities you could police the entire region."

"And my response was that if I did that..." DragonMaster started to retort, before Darin interjected.

"_Excuse me_," he said. "_But, the human race is deeply flawed. Should a being like DragonMaster proceed to do everything for them, they'll expect it permanently. When he inevitably fails in his task_..."

"Wait, what?" DragonMaster demanded. "What do you mean inevitably?"

"_The sad fact of life is that you can't succeed every single time. Even someone as endowed as you will one day not get there fast enough to catch someone when they fall. It's not a criticism, more an ultimate result_."

"I like this guy," Air Archer remarked, smirking at the reaction from DragonMaster. "Where'd you find him?"

"Is now really the time?" DragonMaster asked. "I'd listen to him if I were you, although here probably isn't the best place. We need to find somewhere more private."

* * *

"_To answer your question, I originate from the planet Syodia_," Darin replied, the three figures now on the same rooftop that Air Archer had originally started on. "_My name is Darin. Although I'm now questioning the logic in having you two on the same team, regardless I'm recruiting the best this planet has for a task that involves the salvation of the universe_."

"You want me to help you save the universe?" Air Archer asked, raising an eyebrow under her hood and mask. "That sounds like a challenge."

"Not afraid of a challenge, are you Archer?" DragonMaster wondered, smiling slightly at her. "Huh?"

"I've never shirked a challenge," she retorted. "You know that. The bigger the better. What's the plan?"

"_Actually, we're recruiting more people like you for the task_," Darin offered. "_So before we go over it, we want the full team here_."

"The full team?" Air Archer wondered. "How many are you thinking? Anyone else that I know?"

"Well, I was thinking of the two in Hoenn," DragonMaster replied, shrugging. "Possibly the one in Sinnoh and..."

"Gligirl," Air Archer asked. "She moved to Verger. Gaitham City."

"_Gligirl_?" Darin asked. "_Who is that? Actually, I'm sure I'll find out closer to the time_."

"That's handy, I didn't know where she had gone," DragonMaster replied. "But, it's not going to be easy tracking them all down. We need a place to meet up when we've got them all here, somewhere we won't be disturbed."

"I've got a safe house," Air Archer offered. "Another place in Kanto that I use to store spare weapons in case my in town one gets compromised."

"_Would it be convenient for us to use it_?" Darin asked, glancing at her. "_Because that would be extremely helpful_."

"I wouldn't have offered it," she said, folding her arms. "If I wasn't comfortable with the idea of it being used. I haven't been there a while, I'll go get things set up while you get the others over there."  
"_Miss King_," Darin suddenly said, startling her completely. "_If I may be so_..."

"Woah!" she exclaimed, backing away from him with both hands raised. "Easy there, man. I don't appreciate you throwing my personal details out there."

"_Of course, my mistake_," Darin replied, apologetically. "_I have little contact with humans, forgive me. What I was about to say was that with your permission, I can establish a telepathic link with you. Enabling us to keep in contact across planet if need be. When you are done, and when we have recruited some more, you can tell use where to send them._"

"Okay, I hear you," she said, before hesitating. "Is this going to hurt?"

"_I've never done it to a human before_," Darin admitted. "_But, it shouldn't do_."

"Go for it then," Air Archer replied, stepping forward in front of the Deoxys. "Let's get it done. You sure that this guy is on the level, DragonMaster?"

"Pretty sure of it," DragonMaster said. "And I like to think of myself as a good judge of character."

"_It is done_," Darin announced, startling both of them with his revelation. "_I'm pretty sure that that didn't hurt_."

"Huh," Air Archer muttered. "Strange. So... You guys going to go and get the others or we going to stay here talking all day."

"Hoenn then," DragonMaster said. "Let's go. We'll get those two from there and then go our separate ways to get the last two."

"I'll see you later then," Air Archer replied, bringing out her grappling gun. "Don't take too long or I might get bored."

"Wouldn't want that," DragonMaster muttered, as the woman turned to sprint towards the edge of the building away from Silph. As she vanished over the side, he turned back to Darin with a smile.

"Hoenn then," he remarked. "Let's get hunting for those two over there. Hope you don't have a problem with water."

* * *

**Author's Notes.**

**Yeah...**

**Hope you liked that one. Little longer than the previous two, but that's not a problem.**

**Anyway, next one WILL be in Hoenn.**

**There's some sort of plan in motion now. More than what there was before anyway.**

**Okay, so thanks for reading.**

**Reviews are appreciated.**


	4. The Heroes Of Hoenn

Chapter Three. The Heroes Of Hoenn.

* * *

"_Why would I have a problem with water_?" Darin wondered, the two figures finding themselves hovering high above the oceans to the east of Hoenn's mainland. He believed that DragonMaster had called the city Lilycove that they had passed earlier. "_I see the answer to that question right now_."

"It's not going to be too much of a problem," DragonMaster replied, before pausing from saying the rest of what he wanted to. Watching him turn his head slightly, Darin saw the focused look of concentration upon his companions face.

"_What do you hear_?" he wondered. "_Is there something out there that is worrying you_?"

"There's something a few miles away," DragonMaster answered, already floating listlessly off in that direction to try and get better focus as to what it is. Something that might attract his attention."

"_Who are we looking for here_?" Darin wondered. "_Is there something that I should know_?"

"Again, I don't want to colour your opinion before you have the chance to form your own," DragonMaster replied. "But we're looking for someone who might prove to be handy. OceanGuardian."

"_OceanGuardian_?" Darin asked. "_So, let me guess. He protects the oceans from those who might harm them_."

"Pretty much," DragonMaster said. "The oceans. The things that live within them. Even some of the towns and cities that lie upon them."

"_Interesting_," Darin commented. "_So, what have you heard_?"

"Follow me and we shall see," DragonMaster replied, already moving to fly away towards the direction of the disturbance that he had sensed. Not hesitating, the Deoxys made to follow him through the air.

* * *

"_What is it that we are meant to be looking at here_?" Darin asked, glancing down at the scene below them. Two medium sized boats chasing a trio of huge blue Pokémon across the surface of the ocean. "_Why are those boats chasing those Wailord_?"

"I'm impressed that you know them as Wailord," DragonMaster commented. "Is it because you can understand them? Or can you feel their pain in the pursuit?"

"_Both, actually_," Darin admitted. "_Is this for sport, or does it actually serve a purpose_?"

"It's mainly more senseless carnage," DragonMaster said, looking down with interest at the water surrounding the giant Pokémon. "Chase the Wailord, see how far you can exert them before they tire themselves out. Then they catch them up for auction."

"_I see_," the Deoxys remarked. "_But, why aren't we doing anything about this_?"

"Because, stopping things like this..." DragonMaster remarked, glancing at the sights below the two of them. "... Let's just say that they are the domain of the being that we seek."

As if to prove his point, a blue and white clad figure burst out of the ocean, jumping up onto the back of one of the Wailord. He had a powerfully built swimmers physique, as well as flowing blue hair and a luxurious beard. He was wearing a skin tight blue diving suit with white stripes across the upper arms and thighs. His costume had the design of a Gyarados curled around the stomach and up to the back, something quite intricate in its design. In addition to that, he was barefoot as he stood atop the back of the Wailord.

"_Interesting_," Darin commented, watching the scene below. "_He is communicating with the Wailord. Telepathically_."

"He can do that," DragonMaster replied. "Wait for what happens next."

Away on the decks of the two boats, shouts had already rung out at the presence of the figure at the back of the lead Wailord. Rushing forward towards the end of the boat, one of the Wailord hunters started to yell something at OceanGuardian. Only for the figure to respond by hurling a shimmering blue orb of water towards the speaker, the sheer force of the rippling sphere forcing him back. As he slipped and fell to the deck, OceanGuardian leaped up and smashed his way through the surface of the ocean, vanishing from sight.

Watching the scenes below them, the two airborne figures began to strain their senses; DragonMaster using his hearing, Darin with his telepathy, in order to hear what was going on below them.

"When he shows up again, put a bloody bullet through his head!" the figure who had been drenched by OceanGuardian earlier yelled, getting up to his feet. "Not funny. He wants to do that, he wants to play games, he can play mine!"

Almost right on cue, the blue and white clad figure shot up out of the ocean, landing on the deck of the boat. Not hesitating, he spun on the spot and hit the man with a roundhouse kick, the blow hurling him away towards the railings. Hitting the metal structures, he appeared to hang there for a moment before toppling away over the side.

"_This is interesting_," Darin remarked. "_Yet, it seems like he is not interested in the traditonal hero duties_."

"What are you implying?" DragonMaster asked. "The oceans need protecting too. It may not be as glamorous as what other heroes do..."

He paused for a moment, watching the scene below as another one of the crew members on the boat went for OceanGuardian with a wrench. As it swung up towards him, the blue haired figure ducked the strike and hit out with another Water Pulse, the ball of water drenching his attacker. Staggering under the sudden force of the blow, the man with the wrench never saw OceanGuardian coming towards him, the big figure tackling him away into another two crew members who were trying to intervene into the fight.

"... But everyone has to do what they can," DragonMaster continued. "However trivial this may seem to you, it's still a good and noble thing that he does. Protecting those that choose not to defend themselves. Besides, the rest of us have enough problems to deal with on land and in the sky. The oceans are his domain."

Below them, OceanGuardian had picked up a megaphone and had directed it towards the other boat. The powerful baritone of his amplified voice easily able to be picked up by the two watching heroes in the sky.

"This is OceanGuardian," the blue haired figure shouted, everyone present and still conscious directing their full attention on him. "If you are going to capture those Wailord then capture them. Don't chase them across half the ocean in this fashion. It's cruel."

Even from above, DragonMaster and Darin could hear some slight titters from the other boat at the way OceanGuardian had spoken.

"I'm hoping to settle this amicably," the blue clad figure called, still speaking into the megaphone. "So, I'm going to give you a warning. Leave them alone and I won't drag you and your boat to the depths of the ocean."

There were no laughs this time. Even Darin was taken by surprise at the threat from the figure below them.

"_Is he really likely to do that_?" the Deoxys asked, shocked by the statement. "_That seems a little extreme_."

"He's partly bluffing," DragonMaster said, quickly. "He would probably drag their boats down, but not with them in them."

"_I imagine that fails to make him very popular_," Darin mused. "_Since the human world is a culture that appears to value the accumulation of material possessions as a status symbol_."

"You picked that up pretty quickly," DragonMaster said, stroking his chin. "But, it's not everyone who is like that. There are some people like that, but the majority of the population out there don't think that way. Plus, when these rich guys have their boats dragged down by him... I'm not saying it's right but some people do get a kick out of it and laugh afterwards about what he's done. To be fair to him, he does give them a warning usually."

Below them, the two boats were leaving the scene, the watching figure of OceanGuardian stood atop the surface of the water watching them.

"_Interesting_," Darin commented, hovering a little lower to get a better view of the events taking place below him. "_The ability to stand upon water like it is made of rock. In certain cultures, it has certain religious aspects_."

"Yeah, I know," DragonMaster said, looking down below him. At the same time, OceanGuardian glanced up to the two of them and shot a salute towards the airborne figures.

"_He knows that we're here_," Darin remarked. "_He's known for a while. I can hear it in his thoughts_."

"Well, if he glanced up at some point," DragonMaster commented. "It wouldn't be that hard for him to miss us."

Below them, OceanGuardian made a gesture to them, one to guide them into following him down under the surface.

"Hope you can hold your breath for a while," DragonMaster remarked. "It might get a little dicey where we're going."

"_He wants us to follow him under the water_," Darin said. "_Is it really necessary_?"

"He's inviting us into his home," DragonMaster replied. "Seems right and fair. Just... Follow my lead."

Already in motion, he made to fly down towards the surface of the ocean. Doing his best to hide his trepidation, Darin quickly made to follow the caped superhero.

"_How fast can he swim_?" Darin wondered, as OceanGuardian leaped up into the air, gracefully performing a perfect dive back through the salt water.

* * *

His question quickly became answered as he penetrated the surface of the ocean, the Deoxys racing after the two figures. He had seen DragonMaster fly at his full speed before, had judged that he was able to move at much the same speeds in any other fashion. And yet, he was easily slower than OceanGuardian through the water. In the passing thoughts of the humans that he had caught while travelling, he had seen the vehicles that they called speedboats. What they could do, how fast they were. The Deoxys estimated that the figure far ahead of them was moving faster than one of the vehicles. Gracefully sweeping through the waves, he could also hear the thoughts and voices of other Pokémon around them, all giving the three of them a wide berth. Unconsciously, Darin found himself slipping into his Speed Forme just to keep up with the rippling trail that had been left for him, first by OceanGuardian and then by DragonMaster. At least he had the billowing outline of DragonMaster's cape ahead of him to guide him through the dark water, he thought, keeping up quite well with the being ahead. Although he wasn't quite as fast as DragonMaster and nowhere near as rapid as the being leading them, he felt that he was keeping pace quite well.

No sooner had he found himself thinking that, the next thing he saw was DragonMaster power down through the surf away into a darkened cave below them. Not hesitating, he quickly made to follow, his eyes adjusting to the blackness almost immediately. Enough to let him still see DragonMaster up ahead of him, the next thing that entered his vision was the sight of the caped man adjusting his trajectory to head straight up towards the roof of the tunnel. Following him up through the narrow cavity, the Deoxys found himself rising up out of the water into an air filled dark cavern.

"That was bracing," DragonMaster muttered, shaking himself off to rid his body of the water. "Swimming through the ocean... Not what I thought I'd be doing this morning."

Ignoring him, Darin found himself looking around the cavern. It was bigger than he had first realised, a long tunnel heading away into the darkness ahead of him proving him wrong. Something he was still acknowledging as a splash rang out behind him, a head quickly popping up out of the ocean to glance at the two of them.

"This place is a way to my home," OceanGuardian said, already pulling himself up out of the salty water. "Sorry about that, I needed to pick something up."

As he finished pulling himself out, he reached back into the water and brought out a bag of something.

"Pearls, rare shells, broken pieces of rare coral," OceanGuardian explained, not paying any attention to the two of them for the moment. "I was diving for them before going to see of those... Well, I'll call them people. I'm not going to let two hours worth of collecting go to waste."

"_Hmm_," Darin remarked. "_Most interesting. To be able to survive that long in water_..."

"The oceans are neccesary for life," OceanGuardian replied, not looking up. "Why do we seek to abolish them in every possible way? Do they not have as much, if more right than humans to be here?"

"_I take it that you are not human then_," Darin said. "Yet, you're not the same as DragonMaster. I can read your thoughts."

"Here's a suggestion," OceanGuardian replied, sternly standing up to look at the Deoxys. "Don't do that."

"He does have a point," DragonMaster remarked. "If you start to do that, it does get irritating to those that you do it to."

"Funny that, since it doesn't work on you," OceanGuardian said, looking at DragonMaster, before moving over to pick up a towel and wipe his beard. "Judging by what you just said."

"_Whatever he is renders me unable to read his thoughts_," Darin replied, apologetically. "_I meant to cause no offence to you. I am still unused to contact with sapient beings_."

"So, what do you want?" OceanGuardian wondered. "Take it you're not just appearing on a social call."

"_What is a social call_?" Darin asked, looking at DragonMaster. "_I don't understand this term_."

"It doesn't matter," DragonMaster replied, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, how have you been, OceanGuardian?"

"Pretty good," OceanGuardian said, before turning back to look at the Deoxys. "So, what's so bad that you're seeking me out?"

"_My name is Darin_," the Deoxys offered. "_My home world has been shattered by a corrupt force, something so devastating that I don't have a name for it. That force is on its way to this planet to do the same thing. If it succeeds, then nothing will be left to stop it. Virtually every living thing on this planet will be killed or enslaved. I'm sure that you don't want that to happen_."

"It's not high on my To Do List," OceanGuardian said, his expression not changing at all. "Watch the end of the world by some space force."

"_What's a To Do List_?" Darin wondered, before shrugging his shoulders in nonchalance. "_Actually, it doesn't matter. Forget about it. In order to fight this corruption, I have come to Earth to recruit those that are capable of fighting it. DragonMaster recommended you, I like what I've seen and heard in the short time that I have been acquainted with you_."

"Group of super heroes?" OceanGuardian asked. "Neat. Who else is coming? Out of interest."

"_Myself and DragonMaster_," Darin replied. "_Air Archer. Yourself_..."

"Hopefully, Jask, Blue Aura and Gligirl," DragonMaster finished. "But we haven't got around to asking those three yet. We were going to do it after we found you and got your answer."

"Is the being that you speak of really that much of a threat?" OceanGuardian asked, looking first to DragonMaster and then back to Darin. "Because..."

"_I believe it to be the single greatest threat that has ever touched the beautiful face of the galaxy_," Darin admitted. "_That is but my humble opinion. Will you join us_?"

"Where you want me to go?" OceanGuardian asked, shrugging. "I might be better in the water than the land, but I'm not useless on the land. As you may already have seen."

"_Why would we assume that_?" Darin wondered, looking around at DragonMaster. "_Because you save Wailord's rather than people_?"

"Hey, I save the occasional drowning person," OceanGuardian remarked, pulling on a pair of blue and white track pants over his diving suit. After doing so, he quickly reached down for a sky blue t-shirt to cover the rest of his costume. "But, you haven't answered my question. Where do you need me to go?"

"Archer's safe house out on Cerulean Cape," DragonMaster replied. "That's where. There's ocean access so you can probably be there in several hours if you travel at your usual speed."

"There are some things that I need to grab first," OceanGuardian replied, holding up his bag of shells. "And some stuff that I need to take care of. But, I'll be there. Count me in."

"_Great_," Darin said, the two of them watching him head away down the tunnel towards Sootopolis City. "_He seems like he'll be a valuable addition to the team. What I picked up in his head is very interesting_."

"I don't really want to know," DragonMaster replied, almost automatically. "That's his private business. Him to know and us not to know unless he chooses to tell us."

"_I see_," Darin mused. "_So, where to now_?"

"We'll meet him in Cerulean City when the time is right," DragonMaster remarked. "Anyway, time is pressing. Next, we need to get to Slateport City."

* * *

"So, what are we doing in these forms?" Darin wondered, following DragonMaster out of the alley. Subconsciously, he was redirecting his telepathic powers out around him to fool people walking past into believing that he was just like them. His avatar being a dark skinned man wearing a black leather jacket and cotton shirt in the same colour, as well as a pair of jeans and boots. In the guise, he also had a shaved head and green coloured eyes. Next to him, DragonMaster was now in his Jason Crowe form, the tattered trenchcoat and worn suit combination that befitted a journalist. "I feel exposed."

"Relax," Crowe replied, shooting him a grin. "You're with me. Pretty much nothing can harm me. Not in this warm climate anyway. Think that we're pretty good."

"Now who are we looking for?" Darin asked. The projection that he was giving off somehow directed his normal telepathic speech into spoken words, something that had surprised him upon the first attempt at being able to use the skill. "Since you haven't said yet."

"We're looking for Jask," Crowe replied. "Although, he might be tricky to pin down. This time, might need you to use that telepathy. You hear his thoughts, we get over there as fast as possible."

"When you say tricky to pin down...?"

"He's incredibly fast. Like OceanGuardian in the water, but across land. If you startle him, he'll make a break for it and you're not likely to see him again."

"Ah, that's a problem," Darin conceded. "Okay, if I hear something, I'll get right on it. You criticise my telepathy, but there's no way of him escaping if I know where he's going. And no matter how fast he can run, there is one thing that is faster."

"Let's get searching then," Crowe said, looking around the street that the two of them had walked out into. "He's not going to find himself."

"Actually, I believe he may know where he is himself," Darin pointed out. "Right?"

* * *

"Got him!" Darin exclaimed, looking across the street to a teenaged boy in a yellow hoody and a pair of black running shorts. "That's Jask."

"Huh," Crowe commented, rolling his eyes. "Never seen him out of his costume before. That's handy. Not what I was expecting."

"Nice to know that you're on top of this," Darin remarked. "So, how do we handle this now?"

"There's only one way to do it," Crowe said, grinning before he stepped out into the road, moving towards the person that Darin had claimed to be Jask. "Hey! You! Hoody! Aren't you the guy who broke into my car the other day! When I..."

Just as he had predicted, Crowe was greeted with the sight of Jask vanishing away in a flurry of speed, almost too quick for anyone to see.

"Apartment 27," Darin announced. "Great Slate Motel. Meet you there."

Even as he finished speaking, the Deoxys vanished away into thin air. Momentarily shocked at the use of teleportation, Crowe quickly moved into his own super speed, focusing on finding the address that Darin had given to him.

* * *

Racing through the alley, Jask let his eyes rise up to the fire exit in front of him. The way back into the motel where he went to lay low when someone caught up with him. He had no idea who the figure was who had yelled at him, but he wasn't in the mood to get caught in an elaborate argument. Instead, he had elected to run, knowing that there was nothing on Earth that could catch up with him.

That was when he saw the figure. The Deoxys ahead of him, he knew enough from his time as a trainer to recognise the Pokémon. Not even having the time to wonder why it was here in front of him, he was already turning away to run again...

... Only for a powerful stream of several golden starts to race out from the hands of the Deoxys, homing in onto his legs before knocking him to the ground. Right on cue, another figure burst into the alley, moving faster than the average human.

"What did you do to him?" the new arrival wondered, looking down at Jask. "Handy teleportation ability by the way. Didn't know about that."

"_You're not the only one with secrets_," Darin said, quickly. "_But, to answer your question, I hit him with a moderate Swift attack. Enough to knock him off his feet, not enough to harm him_."

"Man, I don't believe that just happened," Jask groaned, picking himself up from the ground. Darin's attack had been careful, the Deoxys determined not to cause much damage to the speedy superhero in front of him. "What are you?"

"I'm not in my costume, Jask," Crowe remarked, giving him a confident stare. "But believe me when I say that I am DragonMaster. We don't have much time."

"All the time in the world, bro," Jask replied, rubbing at the point on his leg where the Swift had struck him. "When you're as fast as me... Hold on, DragonMaster? The caped superhero from Johto. I thought you were an urban myth."

"Oh, thanks for that," Crowe replied, a trace of sarcasm in his voice. "And this is Darin."

"_Hello, Mr. Anderson_," Darin offered, before looking like he had gone through the process of mentally kicking himself. "_Sorry, I keep doing that_."

"Hey, no sweat, man," Jask replied, shrugging. "Or Deoxys or whatever. Since I'm not in my costume, you can call me whatever you want."

"_Mr. Anderson_," Darin said, picking up where he had left off previously. "_Believe me when I say that this entire planet is in danger. And no matter how fast you are, you will not be able to run from the danger. It is absolute. This threat is very very real_."

"Okay, you got my attention," Jask replied, holding his hands up. "Why are you telling me this? So I can put my name on the list for the next shuttle off this planet?"

"Actually, we're wanting to recruit you to help stop it," Crowe said. "We're recruiting meta-humans like you."

"_Meta-humans_?" Darin wondered, glancing back at him. "_Interesting use of the term_."

"People that we believe will stand up and take the fight to this thing," Crowe continued. "Are you in?"

"So, when you say that you two are recruiting people like me," Jask remarked. "Who else is in?"

"_Well, we just came from recruiting OceanGuardian_," Darin offered. "_Plus, we've also got Air Archer_..."

"Archer's coming?" Jask asked, his eyes lighting up. "I love that girl. She's so easy to wind up. This ought to be fun. Count me in guys."

"Nice to know that you're coming for all the right reasons," Crowe said, rolling his eyes. "Hope that we can count on you if it gets rough."

"Hey, I run from nothing," Jask replied, smiling back sweetly at DragonMaster's alter ego.

"_You ran from us when we approached you_," Darin remarked, both hands behind his back. "_Meet us at Air Archer's safe house on the Cerulean City Cape as soon as possible. We're just about to go and get the last two people on the list and then we'll join you_."

"Just for point of reference in the future," Jask offered, running a hand through his hair out of boredom. "I didn't run because I was scared. I ran because I didn't want to get caught up in a disagreement that I had nothing really to do with."

"_If you say so_," Darin smiled. "_Although common sense does dictate that if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about_."

"Maybe on Mars or wherever you come from," Jask said, rolling his eyes at the Deoxys. "Okay, smell you later, guys. I'll go grab my costume and head over there."

With that, he vanished away again in a flurry of speed, faster than the eye could follow.

"_He's on his way there_," Darin remarked, sagely. "_I find it interesting that he intends to try and run across the surface of the ocean? If he's really that fast, then good for him. However, I'm not from Mars_."

"Of course you aren't," Crowe said, patting him on the shoulder. "Anyway, only two left. Let's get on with the task."

* * *

**Author's Notes.**

**Alright then. Finally I update. It's been a tough few days to find the time for it.**

**But anyway, hope that you enjoyed it.**

**Two more in the gang. Two left and they both get recruited next chapter. So, see you then.**

**Thanks for reading.**


End file.
